As faculty, I have duties involving carrying out research, teaching and lecturing, tutoring and pastoral, sharing administrative tasks within the school and fulfilling academic service to the wider scientific community (reviewing, scientific event organization, etc).

What is the best thing about what you are doing now?

Research! Learning new things is fascinating. Unfortunately, I can't dedicate as much time to it as I would like because of all the other academic duties.

What made you interested in your current role?

A bit of chance, and a bit of an odd story. I originally planned my PhD as a gateway to something else, but while doing it, research and the academic life got me. I owe a lot of the passion that I now have about research to my supervisor, Prof. Ela Claridge. Even though I come from a family with strong academic roots, I actually didn't know research could be so incredibly fun!

How has your career developed since graduating from the University of Birmingham?

When I graduated, I first moved to Mexico and worked in a public University there and then I came back to UK to Imperial College. I then went back to Mexico where I worked at an excellent research center from the Mexican government, and only recently came back to the UK in Sep 2021. Otherwise, progress has been steady; slowly but surely as most of us in academic life.

What motivates you?

Learning. My ignorance grows every single day.

Why did you originally apply to Birmingham?

I must admit that at the time I was not very knowledgeable about the strength of Birmingham as a University. My application was more down to practical matters; they were offering a scholarship on a topic that I liked. It was also important for me that it was abroad, but the only other language that I speak other than Spanish was a bit of (terrible!) English.

What are your fondest memories of the University?

Many, but I met my wife here! She was also a PhD student at this University although in a different discipline. We've been together for 20 years now.

Did you get involved in any extracurricular activities as a student?

Yes. I used to belong to the Mexican Society. Although I'm Spanish, the Spanish society at the time was mostly the people who studied Spanish philology, whereas the Mexican society, despite the name, was a gathering of many Spanish speakers of different nationalities.